Over the long Easter we wanted to do something special. A couple of weekends ago we hired a car and went to Wilsons Prom and then Mornington Peninsula. As part of that trip we booked to swim with seals and dolphins but because on the day it was so windy the tour was cancelled. So we tried again, we booked knowing that it was likely to be cancelled as rain was due on the day and although all morning was spent touring Mornington Peninsula in the drizzle the sun came out for the boat trip.
A highlight of the rain was this rainbow taken from Murrays Lookout on Arthurs Seat.
The tour also stopped off in Portsea to see the famous “bathing boxes.” Considering it was raining and I have a beach hut at home that are much more funkily painted I wasn’t too impressed but the tour was worth it for the afternoon activities! (If you want to see bathing boxes in Melbourne go to Brighton Beach, they are so much better there!)
We booked our tour through Bunyip tours as it picked us up in Melbourne and saved us hiring a car for the day, but if you have your own car you can book through Moonraker themselves. The tour was $199 including snorkelling or $159 with just going on the boat and seeing the animals from there.
When we arrived in Sorrento (beautiful picturesque seaside town) we were given wetsuits, flippers and snorkels and climbed on the boat. In the morning they had also been out to Port Philip Bay and had a successful trip with the dolphins and seals and so we were told to hurry into our wetsuits incase the dolphins were nearby. After about 10 mins we came across a small pod of dolphins but they were really close to the shore and too far away for the boat to get near so we continued to Chinamans Hat – The stand on which there were lots of Australian fur seals.
The tide was pretty strong so the guys on the boat put a rope out and we all slid off the boat into the water. We were told that usually the seals are quite inquisitive and playful but that day only a few jumped into the water to see who we were.
The next place we visited was Popes Eye marine park which is a horseshoe of rocks with lots of kelp and big fish around. In the water the wetsuit worked and kept us warm but because of the wind, inbetween each snorkel and getting back on the boat it was freezing cold so we had hot chocolates and Lamington cake.
Finally we were able to find a pod of dolphins that wanted to come near the boat. We all had to sit on the back steps of the boat and when the dolphins were close we were told to get in and follow the guides. The first time this happened I didn’t see a thing the dolphins were so fast! The second time I saw the dolphins very briefly playing underneath us and the final time I was able to swim alongside 2 dolphins with the guide. It was an incredible amazing experience and we so fortunate to get close to all the wild animals.
Dolphins near the shore (no photos up close as we were to busy swimming with them!)
The Boat
Upclose shot of the seals.
ZoZo the Adventurer 